Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-05-18
FAIRLY H0WLEb DOWN.
TORONTO'S lOYALiSTS ILLUSTRATE
THEIR IDEA OF FREE SPEECH

Having Succeeded in Their Undertaking
for Lansdoune-De Description of a Wild
Scene Isn>downe Talks
TORONTO. Ont, MAY lS.-There was
mixed throne at the station here when, at II
a. m. Tuesday, MIR. William OBrien arrived,
and amid a yolev of cheers and groans he
alighted and WAS immediately surrounded by
hundreds at his friends who almost crushed
each other IN their enthusiastic efforts to get
near him and shake ms hand. There was no
turbulence however and the National league
committee escorted the visitors 10 carriages,
and they were driven to.the RnSsln house, the
streets being Incl with people, many of whom
cheel'ed and waved handkerchiefs. AT the
hotel there. was assembled an immense throng
and the cheer, for Ir.and. O'Brien, lans-
downe and the queen followed and mixed
with each other.
The police preparations were very elaborate,
but the officers had an easy time as the
crowds ON both SIDES were good humored and
confined themselves to "guying each other
and responding to each others cheers. The
demonstration at the hotel was much more
enthusiastic than al the station. the thrOngs
of l,aguefS and anti-ieaguers being much
greater, and here there WAS some little dis
turhance and a few tiSiicHff collisions took
place, resulting in nothing serious, however.
Mr. Okrlen was escorted 10y the reception
committee from his carriage 10 the hotel cor
ridor, many people pressing forward to grasp
his hand, and ia,t presented Inn with a
beautiful ioqliet At the loot of the stairs a
halt WAS made and the formal reception took
place, the spokesman of the reception commit
tee Mr. J 4 Nuigan, reading an address OF
welcome from the Irish societies highly eulo-
CYSTIC Of the distinguished guest, and deciar-
ing the plan ot campaign WAS the safety Of
the Irish people and MIR. O'krIens advocacy
Of that plan had endearet hun to his fellow
country men all over the world
MIR O'Brien responded With considerable
emotion, expressing deep gratitude for the
manner in which his c0untrymen had rallied
around him and Mr. kibT1de during this visit,
and declaring that he came in behalf of the
hundreds Of Lord EanSiowneis tenants whom
his loriships cruelty had made homeless He
characterized the conduct OF Canadian Irish
men at tins time heroic, not because Of the
'reyolverS. knives, and bludgeouS that may
he brandished in their faces, tut because Of
the more substantial risks" they had to face
in standing by him in tins case. He expressed
confidence that no citizen OF the DOMINION
would be intinidated from exercising his law
full rights in the~a days, and closed by declar-
ing that this matter tested to the core the
courage and sympathy Of our peuple III Can
ada m the canS' OF Ireland
L. a
height until afternoon. when large mass
meeting was held in the open air in Queen 5
park Fifteen Thousand Is a far estimate Of
the number nt people present before the clos
of the meeting, and that such large meet
ing could have been the scene of deter
minei AMI organized attempt TO prevent free
speech is nni at all crelitahie There Is no
doubt, had it not been for the good hGmoi of
the crowd generally, a serious riot would have
occurred As 1t WAS there were several hand
to-hand encounters, and in two or three IN
stances cEutS we're used with telling effect
There was a Snlli group of O'Bflens friends
IN front If the platform, and clos to them
about 800 or 4n students and volunteers
TheSa two gangs kept shouting. each for then
own SIDE. io>ting, Swaying from side to SIDE
melting each other. On two occasions the 20
lice had 10 charge this portion of the crowd
to pr,-s.rve order. The anti leaguers were
there to drown the voices Of the SPEAKERS
and they sticc,%sled admirably, it being mn
possible to catch anything hut DIS ointed sell
fences 4 number Of women IN the crowd
were badly crushed, but held their ground
OBrien and friends reached Queens parE
at 81 clo,'k. but the meeting did not begin
until about } The entire police force were OF
the ground. and at convenient distance
troops were held in readiness 10 suppress any
| outbreak In and out OF the vast crowd rode
| mounted police seeking by the effect Of then
presence to keep in check the excitement
which at times threatened TO burst it, bound,
and end IN trouble
When O'Blien began speaking, the opposing
| crowd started up tod Save the Queen, anC
the national anthem was repeated again and
again from the threats of at least three
| fourth rs Of those present. Not sound cpHlC
| Re heard from the speakers stand at tel
PAGES distant, 50 great was the tumUlt
O'Brien continued speaking, however, though
| his remarks were InaddIble A few Suall col
lisions occurred, followed 10y prompt arrests
any disturbance WAS followed by hand t.
hand fights hut the mounted police soon re
stored order. The crowd now and then va
ried the national anthem bv cheers tor Lans
| downe Rule BRITANNIA etc, followed by
deafening cheers Even those on the plat
form failed to catch Mr. O Brien's words
Mr. OBrien finally attempted to speak il
spite of the npruar, hut his words we're audi
BILE only a few feet distant He declared thai
| the cheers of the friends Of Ireland would he
heard around the world. and could not h
| drowned by the disturbance raised 10y th'
| friends of Lord IanS.iowne Fhe clanor raise
here was made by those who sought to create
| trouble He WAS glad to set his friends he
| have like men III spite of it, loud groan
and uproarl The people of Canada were de
manding an answer 10 the fearful accusation
against Lord Lansiowne and his answer wa
an attempt to drown free speech.
At this point popular songs were started il
| different parts of the crowd, the discordan
| voices completely drowning the voice of th'
speaker This was followed by the concerto,
departure II a large sect ION Of the crowd, wht
created a disturbance in forcing wa,
through the people in the rear
Mr.. OBrien, resuming, said he could not
blame the Orangemen for acting as they did
as they did moi realize what they We're doing
They We're however, opposing the opinion OF
nineteen -twentieths OF the people of Canada
He WAS fighting the battle of freedom o
speech. and had the civilized world on hi
side The Orangcmen who We're now sup
porting tine cause of Lord Lansdowne by
their Ciamcr had been pressed IN the SAINT
service for Dr Kane when he came to mis-
represent Ireland Their clamor would We
le silen,eI by Canadian public opinion.
At this point the confusion increased ant
Mr. O'Brien was Obliged TO suspend for sev
eral minutes When he could make himsel
| heard he said lei the Orangemen send thei
| best speakers to this platform and discuss tht
| question, and let Canada decide between us
| but if they content themselves with disturb
| ing the meeting, then ont of their own mouth
| is Lord Iansiowne condemned" Trerrifl
| noise and Interruption The disturbance wa
confession by Lord Lans,lowne that he hat
no arguments with which to meet his accuser
| There had been no argument on the merits o
.